Aerial navigation



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. LEIBBRAND.

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

No. 600,878. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2. T.LEIBBRAND. AERIAL NAVIGATION Patented Mar. 22,1898.

\I/ m 1 I w d w P FIG-3 FIG-4" INVENTOR 7%ea2ore 19133711223 WITNESSES lATTOR N EY NITE ST PATENT i ricn.

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,878, dated March22, 1898.. Application filed June 3,1897. Serial No. 639,219. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE LEIBBRAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Golumbus, inthe county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Aerial Vessels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of aerial vessels; and theobjects of my invention are to provide a vessel of this class ofimproved construction and arrangement of parts, to provide my improvedvessel with superior means for imparting motion thereto in the desireddirection, and to produce other improvements in the details ofconstruction which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. Theseobjects I accomplish in the man ner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved aerialvessel, the propelling -wheels being shown in traveling positions. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the device as supported uponthe ground. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a plan view in detail ofthe power transmitting and rudder operating mechanism; and Fig. 5 is atransverse section of one of the shafts, showinga modification in themanner of adjusting the position of the angle-gears Similar lettersrefer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the construction of my improved airship or aerial vessel I provide acylindrical body a, of aluminium or other suitable material, the ends ofsaid body being preferably cone-shaped, as shown. Extending transverselythrough the body a on each side of the center of the length thereof areshafts b, the latter being journaled in suitable air-tight boxings insaid body. As shown in the drawings, each of the shafts 1) extendsoutward a short distance beyond the sides of the body a at right angleswith the latter and has its end portions bent to form terminations b,which are at an angle with the portions 1). Upon the straightoutwardly-projecting portions of each of the shafts b are looselymounted hubs or sleeves c, the inner end of each of which carries asmall sprocket-wheel o. Adjacent to and on the outer side of each of thesprocket-wheels 0' each of said hubs carries a comparatively largewing-wheel d, the radially-arranged spokes cl of which are inclinedoutward and have their inner ends secured to the outer end of the hub b.On the outer end of the hub 19 is carrled a beveled gear-wheel e.

f represents an outer hub which is loosely mounted upon each of theangular portions 1) of the shafts I), this hub f carrying on its outerend portion a wheel f of slightly less diameter than the wheel d, thespokes f of said wheel f being inclined inwardly and secured to theinner end of the hub f on the outer side of a beveled gear-wheel g,which is carried on the inner end of said hub and which gears angularlywith the wheel 0. Be tween the diverging spokes d and f of each pair issecured an angular wing or web of canvas or other suitablematerial g.

Suspended from the under side of the body a by suitable supports orhangers h is a suitable form of car or carriage body h. J ournaledbetween each end pair of supports h and extending beneath the car-bodyis a transverse shaft t', each of these shafts i carrying near theirouter end portions sprocket-wheels kand upon their extremitiessprocket-wheels j. J ournaled between the central downwardlyextendinghangers h is a central transverse shaft 70, on each of the outer endportions of which are mounted sprocket-Wheels 1c and 70 Upon the centerof the length of the shaft it is mounted a belt-wheel k The wheels 76 ofthe rear shaft t are connected with the wheels 7& of the central shaftin by means of endless chains n, while the wheels 10 of said centralshaft and wheels 70 of the forward shaft tare connected by endlesschains 41. The wheels j on the extremities of the shafts t' areconnected with the shaft-wheels 0 directly above by means of chains n 0represents horizontal rack-bars, one of which is arranged in thedirection of the body a on each side thereof and on the inner sides ofthe central hangers h. The extremities of these rack-bars are secured tothe lower ends of short downwardly-extendin g arms 19, which are rigidlyconnected with the shafts b. Journaled on the inner side of each of thecentral hanger-arms h is a pinion-wheel p, which engages, as shown inFig. 2 of the drawings, with the teeth of the adjoining rack 0. Thispinion-wheel is adapted to be rotated by a crank 19 or by other suitablemeans.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, I may substitute for each of theshaft-arms p a gearwheel q, with the teeth of which the rack-bar 0 mayengage, as shown in said figure.

Journaled to the rear end of the body a and to brace-arms r, whichextend from said body, is the inner and vertical portion of a suitablesteering-blade or rudder .9. tion of the steering-blade or rudder isconnected to the central portion of a transverse operating-arm s, theouter ends of which have jointedly connected therewith the outer ends ofrods 6, the inner end portions ofsaid rods being connected by a chain25. This chain i passes about a small sprocket-wheel mounted upon avertical steering-shaft M, which is suitably journaled in the rear endportion of the car h. This steering-shaft also carries thereon a spokedsteering-wheel o of the usual form.

In utilizing my invention the body a is preferably inflated with gas orits equivalent. Through a suitable motor or other source of power motionis transmitted to the belt-wheel k, thence through the shaft 7c and itssprocket-wheels to the chains 12 and n and shafts t. Through the chains72 rotary motion is communicated to the wheel d, and through the angulargear connection described a corresponding motion is imparted to thewheel f. Owing to the angular positions of said wheels d and f, it isobvious that a rotation of said wheels such as described must result inthe webs g spreading and presenting a substantial flat surface to theatmosphere when said webs are between those portions of the wheels atand f which are the most separated. these webs will, however, have takena substantially folded form when between the converging portions of thewheels. It will thus be seen that in case the shafts are in the positionindicated in Fig. 1 of the drawingsgvith the angular portions thereofinclined rearwardly, the rotation of the web carrying wheels must resultin said webs spreading or extending in the forward portions thereof andin imparting, in conjunction with the gasfilled body, aconsequentlifting power to the vessel. It is obvious, however, that by moving therack-bars 0, and thus changing the positions of the shafts b, the wingsor webs The lower por-.

It is obvious that may be madeto spread at such stages of therevolutions of the wheel as to cause a forward or other desired movementof the vessel.

It is obvious that the steering-blade or rudder may be moved to thedesired angle by directing the vessel in its course by the properrotation of the steering-Wheel a).

From the construction and operation which I have described it will beobserved that improved means are provided for imparting the desiredmovement to the vessel and that improved means are provided forregulating such movements. It will be observed that theconstruction ofmy improved aerial Vessel is simple and that its parts are of sucharrangement and form as to decrease the tend ency toward the samegetting out of order or becoming unmanageable.

It is obvious that the construction of the propelling-wheels and theirangular wings may be adapted for use in transmitting power from theforce of the wind, said propellingwheels being employed in conjunctionwith other well-known mechanism, such as windmills, &c.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an aerial vessel,the combination with the inflated body a andshafts b projecting therefrom, said shafts I) having angularterminations, of outer and inner wheels mounted respectively upon theangular and straight portions of said shafts, an angle-gear connectionbetween each pair of said Wheels and flexible wings or webs connectingthe spokes of said wheels and means for imparting rotary motion to thelatter, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an aerial vessel, the combination with the inflated body a,transverse shafts I) having angular terminations, of outer and innerwheels f and d loosely mounted respectively 011 the angular and straightportions ofsaid shafts, an an gle-gear connection between said wheels,flexible wings or webs g connecting said Wheels at intervals asdescribed, means for imparting a rotary motion to said wheels and meansfor rotating said shafts or retaining the same in fixed positions,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

THEODORE LEIBBRAND.

In presence of A. L. PHELPS, W. L. MORROW.

